In what has to be the most embarrassing thing to happen in Aussie politics in at least twelve hours, National Party Senator Bridget McKenzie has apologised and offered a clarification, after a photo emerged that appeared to show her mocking obesity at the National Obesity Summit.
The photo was shared by Herald Sun reporter Rob Harris on Twitter yesterday, and shows McKenzie standing in front of a sign at yesterday’s summit, puffing out her cheeks and pushing out her stomach as if to imitate an obese person.
You know, just an elected official doing very normal elected official things on the job. You can check out the photo below:
https://twitter.com/rharris334/status/1096371988073918464
Earlier today, the Tweet came to Bridget McKenzie’s attention, and she apologised, blaming “scrambled eggs” for the awkward photo, and saying that she would never intentionally make a mockery of obesity. Oh yeah, the old Frasier Crane defence. Classic. The Senator wrote:
“The issue of obesity is a matter I take very seriously and would never [trivialise] it [or] add in any way to stigmatisation. I sincerely apologise for this very unfortunate photo taken as I demonstrated how my stomach felt after scrambled eggs reacted w yogurt I had just eaten.”
Scrambled egg all over her face … what is a National Party Senator to do?
The issue of obesity is a matter I take very seriously and would never triavisie it- or to add in any way to stigmatisation. I sincerely apologise for this very unfortunate photo taken as I demonstrated how my stomach felt after scrambled eggs reacted w yogurt I had just eaten.
— Senator The Hon. Bridget McKenzie (@senbmckenzie) February 15, 2019
Anyway, yeah, if you need me I’ll be watching old episodes of Frasier for the rest of the day as I try not to think about how our fragile democracy is hanging by a thread, and the people who are meant to represent us in government are instead constantly pulling nonsense like this.
